Patent literature 1 discloses a bodily fluid sampling device that can readily and reliably sample bodily fluid, with a simple configuration. A puncturing device described in Patent Literature 1 has a puncturing needle to puncture skin, a puncturing needle holding section that holds a puncturing needle and a biasing spring that applies biasing force to the puncturing needle holding section. In addition, the above-described puncturing device has a magnetic force retaining section that retains the puncturing holding portion in the base end side of the puncturing device by magnetic force, and a retention releasing section that has a solenoid to generate a magnetic field in a direction to offset the magnetic force of the magnetic force retaining section.
In order to perform puncturing, the user first compresses the biasing spring by drawing the puncturing needle holding section to the base end side of the puncturing device to lock the puncturing needle holding section in the magnetic force retaining section. Then, the user performs the operation including pressing a puncturing execution button, so that the retention releasing section applies a voltage to the solenoid to cancel the locked state. By this means, the puncturing needle projects from the tip of the puncturing device to puncture skin.
The above-described puncturing device has a configuration to electrically drive the retention releasing section. Therefore, a puncturing needle is released from being retained by the magnetic force retaining section by conducting electricity to the retention releasing section, so that it is possible to start the puncturing operation of the puncturing needle. In addition, the puncturing operation of a puncturing needle is started by energizing the retention releasing section, and therefore, when the puncturing execution button is pressed in a defective condition in which the retention releasing section does not completely and adequately apply a voltage to the solenoid, the puncturing operation of a puncturing needle is not started. In this way, this conventional puncturing device can prevent the puncturing operation of a puncturing needle from being started unexpectedly, in a condition in which electrical release requirements are not satisfied.